Excited, Strangely Enough

I just read a piece in the NY Times about the 'invisible underemployed'. The tone of the article is grim, and it could have been really depressing. But, inexplicably, I'm excited.

I read about how the road to recovery will be a 'slog' (back to what, is my question: the same kind of economy we had before? yech), and how we'll all have to do without, and I felt a surge of joy. I'm not joyful at others' misfortunes, or my own, but I can't help but think, "Things *are* going to be different, at least for a while, and I can't wait to see what comes of it!" I've known the uncertainty of not knowing where the rent is going to come from. I've eaten one meal a day to conserve food. I've taken the extra toilet paper roll from restaurant bathrooms. If I have to do it all again, I know what to expect. I'm scrappy and I can make it work. But that's not what excites me.

I'm excited by the realization that no matter where I am, no matter how much money or how little I have, I will always be able to find the art in the moment. I'm not the biggest fan of my day job, but I've managed to find something in it that I can use in a creative way (there are some CHARACTERS here).

I am capable of creating at all times, not just when all the conditions are right. I will always have something to say, and I will find a way to say it.